Giving Zakaah
Q. What is the right method of giving zakaah?
A. Give the zakaah which has become compulsory on you to a deserving person in the name of Allah and make him or her its owner and master. It is not right to give zakaah for any work or service done. (The man who is in charge of collecting zakaah can, however, be paid from the zakaah money.) It is also allowed to buy things with the zakaah money and distribute them to the poor people.
Q. When should zakaah be given?
A. Zakaah should be given without delay as soon as one year passes on the valuables of the amount of nisaab. (A “year” means a lunar calendar year.)
Q. Is it allowed to give away zakaah before the completion of one year?
A. For a person who owns valuables, it is allowed to give zakaah according to the nisaab before the completion of one year.
Q. Is the niyyah necessary when giving zakaah?
A. Yes. The niyyah should be there when giving zakaah or at least when one is separating the required portion from the property. Zakaah will not be fulfilled if one gives the money with no intention but afterwards accounts it as zakaah.
Q. Is it necessary to tell the person to whom zakaah is being given that what is given to him is of zakaah?
A. It is not necessary. Zakaah will be paid even if it is given as a present or Eid gift to poor children, etc.
Q. What is the ruling when the whole property is destroyed after the completion of one year although no zakaah had yet been paid on it?
A. The responsibility of zakaah will also be gone.
Q. What if the whole property is given away in the name of Allah after the completion of one year?
A. Its zakaah will also be excused.
Q. What if a portion of the property is destroyed or given away as charity?
A. For the portion that has been destroyed or given away as charity, zakaah will lapse. For the remaining portion zakaah must be paid.
Q. If zakaah for silver is given away in silver, how should it be assessed, by its value or weight?
A. Its weight should be considered.
Q. If zakaah becomes due on silver, can anything else be given in its place as zakaah?
A. Yes, by the price of the quantity of silver that becomes due as zakaah, something else, like cloth or food, may also be purchased and given.